Receptor for GABA. The activity of this receptor is mediated by G-proteins that inhibit adenylyl cyclase activity, stimulates phospholipase A2, activates potassium channels, inactivates voltage-dependent calcium-channels and modulates inositol phospholipids hydrolysis. Plays a critical role in the fine-tuning of inhibitory synaptic transmission. Pre-synaptic GABA-B-R inhibit neurotransmitter release by down-regulating high- voltage activated calcium channels, whereas postsynaptic GABA-B-R decrease neuronal excitability by activating a prominent inwardly rectifying potassium (Kir) conductance that underlies the late inhibitory postsynaptic potentials. Not only implicated in synaptic inhibition but also in hippocampal long-term potentiation, slow wave sleep, muscle relaxation and antinociception
Tissue Specificity
Highly expressed in brain, especially in cerebral cortex, thalamus, hippocampus, frontal, occipital and temporal lobe, occipital pole and cerebellum, followed by corpus callosum, caudate nucleus, spinal cord, amygdala and medulla Weakly expressed in heart, testis and skeletal muscle
Cellular Localization
Cell membrane; Multi-pass membrane protein. Cell junction, synapse, postsynaptic cell membrane; Multi-pass membrane protein. Note=Moreover coexpression of GABA-B-R1 and GABA-B-R2 appears to be a prerequisite for maturation and transport of GABA-B-R1 to the plasma membrane